There have been some robust pay days for tight ends since the end of the season and while those deals are out of the realm of what Zach Miller could command, the veteran is still seeking a big contract.

Miller, who had a breakout second half of the season for the Chicago Bears, is asking for $5 million per year in a new contract, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Tribune. Unless that target figure drops in negotiations, it’s difficult to imagine a deal getting done before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March.

Every player is going to aim high when there is an opportunity to be paid and Miller’s story has been well documented. He had not appeared in a regular-season game since 2011 before playing in 15 games this past season. He missed the Week 17 finale with a toe injury. Miller, a sixth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2009 from Nebraska-Omaha, earned $660,000 last season. At 31, this could be his best shot at a lucrative contract.

The Chiefs just extended their Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce with a $46 million, five-year deal and Zach Ertz received $42.5 million in new money in a five-year extension with the Eagles. They’re younger than Miller with less injury history and higher upside.

But Miller proved that when healthy he has the ability to be a productive target for quarterback Jay Cutler. Miller led the Bears with five receiving touchdowns and caught 34 passes for 439 yards (12.9 average). He spent much of the first half of the season serving as an H-back with a very limited role as a receiver before offensive coordinator Adam Gase began using him more downfield.

Photos of all the touchdowns the Bears have scored this season.

The Bears have decisions to make at the tight end position. Martellus Bennett, who will be 29 next month, has one year remaining on a four-year contract that averages $5.1 million per season, pretty much the range Miller is seeking.

Bennett skipped the voluntary offseason program last year in a big to get a raise and then had an episode on the practice field before the Thanksgiving night game at Green Bay that rubbed those at Halas Hall the wrong way. A rib injury limited Bennett to 11 games and he produced 53 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns, his worst season statistically since 2011.

The Bears don’t have any significant experience at the position outside of these two. Khari Lee, acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans at final cuts, played in all 16 games as a rookie but was used sparingly and caught only one pass.

Just because Miller is seeking more than the Bears want to pay doesn’t mean a deal can’t be accomplished. Sometimes it helps the team for a player to venture into free agency to find out what his true market is. Of course, a lot of times that path leads to the player heading elsewhere. It’s worth wondering if Gase, now the coach of the Miami Dolphins, will have interest. Miami got limited production from Jordan Cameron at the position last season.

Miller expressed optimism at the end of 2015 that he would return to the Bears. The way things look now, he will probably become a free agent before a future home is determined.